Creamy pasta tossed with charred corn, cotija cheese, lime, and Mexican spices. Vegetarian and ready in 35 minutes.
# What's Needed:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta
02 - Salt for boiling water
→ Vegetables
03 - 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3-4 ears fresh corn)
04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
06 - ½ cup sour cream
07 - ¼ cup mayonnaise
08 - ¼ cup whole milk
09 - 1 tsp chili powder
10 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
11 - ½ tsp ground cumin
12 - 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
13 - 1 tsp lime zest
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Toppings
15 - ¾ cup cotija cheese, crumbled
16 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Extra chili powder or Tajín for garnish
18 - Lime wedges for serving
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook penne or rotini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly, reserving ½ cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and sauté for 4-5 minutes until lightly charred and golden. Stir in minced garlic during the final minute.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, lime juice, and lime zest until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper.
04 - Add cooked pasta and sautéed corn to the bowl with the sauce. Toss thoroughly to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a creamy, well-emulsified consistency.
05 - Fold in half of the crumbled cotija cheese and half of the chopped cilantro, mixing until evenly distributed throughout the pasta.
06 - Plate the pasta while warm and top with remaining cotija cheese, cilantro, and a sprinkle of extra chili powder or Tajín. Accompany with fresh lime wedges for squeezing.
